UNITED NATIONS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Most top U.N. officials have defied a request to submit their resignations to make way for new appointees, the world body said on Wednesday, hinting at the obstacles to reform faced by new U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon.

To speed the transition to a new team, Ban early this month sent letters to 58 senior officials asking them to offer their resignations. The officials were based both at the world body's New York headquarters and elsewhere around the world.

Nearly four weeks later, just 20 have done so, U.N. chief spokeswoman Michele Montas acknowledged. The 38 who did not would not be disclosed, she said.

Ban became secretary-general on Jan. 1 and his Jan. 4 request applied to individuals working at the level of undersecretary-general or assistant secretary-general, the most senior U.N. grades after the secretary-general himself and his deputy.

Asked if the refusals had irked Ban, Montas said he would continue to name new people as needed. Most of the officials worked under contracts due to expire at the end of February in any case, she added.

Ban, who is traveling in Africa this week, has so far named just a few top appointees but may announce others next week.

Like his predecessor Kofi Annan, Ban has made U.N. reform a priority, in hopes of making the organization more efficient, flexible and responsive to U.N. member-states.

But developing nations, which make up the majority of the U.N. membership, have greeted his first reform proposals with skepticism.

The proposals, which the 192-nation General Assembly would have to approve, would restructure the political affairs, peacekeeping and disarmament departments.

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